HunterOpel

Do you perfer Speed or Kinetic Energy???
I have heard people say Speed, deer doesnt have a chance to jump string, shoot farther with less drop..
I have heard Energy, get deeper penetration on impact, if you make a shot and hit bone it wont deflect as much, will punch through..
I know we all want both, but most of the time you have to sacrifice one for the other.
Lighter arrow = More speed..
Heavier Arrow = More kinetic energy..
I am Justwondering as to the opinions of the fine folks on this forum. What do you think???????

Washington Hunter

I like to find a happy medium.

I shoot a 427 grain arrow at 276 fps.

This generates 72.1 ft/lbs of KE.

I'm shooting with a 27.5" draw length and a 70# Allegiance.

AR Bowhunter

I second Wash's comment.

Hoytshooter4life

i shoot a 387 grain arrow at 283 fps and as far as kinetic energy, i tried to ask the last deer i shot but apparently the arrow blew out both his lungs and broke ribs entering and exiting the deer, so i would agree with dan, and if you do your homework you dont have to sacrafice either of the to, i shoot a 28" draw at 67 pound vectrix

C-WOODS-SHOOT

Neither. I prefer momentum which is different than KE and is achieved by using a heavier arrow. My arrow weighs 460 grains and I shoot 58 lbs at 28'' draw.

Rogue

I will second WOODS post a heavier arrow carries more momentum and is quieter, since sound waves travel at approx. 1100 fps the deer will always hear the shot before the arrow reaches them.

Rogue

ps. as quiet as some of these new bows are getting I do think its possible to get away with more lighter arrows than ever before.

Matt/TN

speed kinda=KE




I agree with Dan, that happy medium is the way to go

toddr96

Woods has it right on the money. In physics, kinetic energy is a quantity that has no direction, so it is a sum of all of the energy in the arrow that is going in every direction including vibration, oscillation, heat from air resistance, etc. Momentum, on the other hand, is given a direction. In other words, momentum is the part that we as archery hunters care about in regards to penetration. Momentum is the force that must be stopped by tissue or bone, and the formula to find momentum is Weight x Velocity / 225218 (weight in grains, velocity in feet per second). The best way to increase momentum is to use a heavier arrow since the mass of the arrow determines the amount of speed lost to air resistance, vibration, etc. The more weight you can put on target the better penetration you will achieve. The "put on target" part of the last sentence is the reason that most of us have gone from heavy aluminum arrows to lightercarbon arrows. The bottom line...find a combination that you can "put on target" consistently and you'll zip through the heaviest game, but plan on edging out Mr. Murphy and his deflecting branch by choosing the extra weight.